Page 8 of Reclaim (Deadly Hearts 3)

“Hands off,” I warn him. “She’s spoken for.”

“Well, as much as that helps, it’s a big city…”

“She carries two knives. A switchblade on her left thigh and a Pangolin on her right. You seriously can’t miss her.”

“Better,” he says. “If she’s here, I’ll find her. Give me twenty.”

Mick hangs up and I shove my phone once again into my pocket.

“And?” Declan snarls.

“He’ll find her,” I say. “He’ll call back in twenty minutes regardless.”

“Good,” Declan says, nodding his head slowly. “David, anything?”

“SSG are keeping their traps shut. This is a solo op, that’s all I know. However, they did say she was being tracked so…”

“Tracked how?” I ask, before anyone else can.

David gives me a grim look. “Microchip,” he says, his face going slightly green.

Silence.

“You mean like a fecking dog?” Cillian bursts out unexpectedly. I thought Declan would be the one to protest vehemently.

“Weeeeell,” David drawls.

“It’s not a bad thing,” I say. “At least they haven’t sent her in completely alone.”

“Then we find Vinnie and make him give us the tracking device,” Declan says. “I’m fairly sure that he has figured out who I am by now. Ruby most likely told him. He will see me, for no other reason than self-preservation.”

My phone rings again and all gazes land on me. I answer.

“Mick?”

“Your girl has just landed at Ace’s High. I would be very careful of your next move. Adam Taylor hangs out there.”

“Adam Taylor?” I ask, the name sounding familiar but not quite connecting the dots.

“Adam Taylor?” Layton asks, breaking his usual silence to comment, an expression on his face that doesn’t bode well for Ruby.

I nod.

“The Butcher of Broad Green Road,” Mick chimes in at the same time that Layton says it.

“Oh, that doesn't sound good,” David murmurs.

“It’s not,” Mick says, having heard him over the silence. “Your girl is going to get herself into some serious shit.”

“What a fucking surprise,” I mutter. “Thanks,” I add, and hang up as Declan is already out of the door with Cillian right behind him.

“I guess we’re going to Ace’s High,” I say and follow them out.

“Nope,” Vinnie says, as I exit the casino and hit the pavement. His goons once again have us at a massive disadvantage with automatic weapons pointed at our heads. Why did this place have to be down a dark, dingy alley?

“You,” he adds, pointing at Declan. “You come with me.”

“Not without the rest of us,” I growl.

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